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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Being thankful

This year I’m thankful for my husband, my parents, and my friends and family to whom I thank Facebook for allowing me to keep in touch with even after years of not seeing one another. I’m thankful for our cosy house, our crazy cat, my fun life and the complete contentment of knowing we have so much more fun for us in the future.

I know it’s easy to get irritated with things, especially around the holidays, but think of what all we have. We’re here. We have family, friends, jobs, hope of jobs, hope of all things good and the wonderful world to live in.

Being a chronic ex-complainer, it’s been increased concern to me how much the internet is used just to complain. I don’t mean anyone specific or certainly not any of my friends. I mean in general, when you go on Twitter, especially, all you see if some kind of “I don’t like…” comment. And, yes, things get irritating and we all get into the habit of ranting now and then. But when you’re complaining about the smallest things just because it’s something you do, it gets to me. I just can’t put up with that kind of negativity anymore.

I read complaints of all kinds. A lot of it is political and you know the person posting the statement just wants someone to start a debate. We have the religious comments that are just made to incite arguments as well. But the ones that get to me the most are the inane, itty bitty things. For example: “I hate this carpet in the bank lobby. I hate the bank teller being slow. I hate the money being too crisp. I hate the bank being next to a store where I can spend my money.” And so on and so forth.

Don’t get worked up over that kind of stuff, guys. Seriously. What is the point in doing that when it’s just going to make you more upset about the situation and no one else in the world is going to give a flip? As I said, I do this too. I get irritated when the stores are crowded and there’s only one door to enter and exit from. But it passes. The neighbour with the crazy crap in my hallway drives me up a wall but I stopped letting myself get that upset about it. It didn’t do me any good to keep complaining about it.

I hear parents complain about teachers. Teachers complain about parents. Librarians complain about patrons. Patrons complain about books. Book sellers complain about ebooks. Brits complain about Americans. Americans complain about Brits. Bus riders complain about cars. Drivers complain about pedestrians. When does it end?

Okay, never. You’re right.

Anyway, just be thankful. Some of us are still looking for work. We’re still struggling to keep calm and carry on but we can if we just get on with what we need to be doing. Appreciate what you have and enjoy the holiday. (Heck, not everyone even gets Thanksgiving day off anymore.) You don’t need a lot of money and things don’t have to be perfect.